The electro-reduction of carbon dioxide in dimethyl sulfoxide at gold microdisk electrodes: Current vertical bar voltage waveshape analysis

The electro-reduction of carbon dioxide is studied by linear sweep and cycl ic voltammetry in DMSO electrolyte solutions and at polycrystalline gold mi crodisk electrodes. An electrode reaction pathway is suggested. Numerical s imulation of the reaction mechanism gives current I potential waveshapes in excellent agreement with those observed experimentally. Kinetic parameters for the reduction process are deduced from this waveshape approach, and th e charge-transfer coefficient is found to be approximately 0.43 +/- 0.05.